Liz Burke, WPRO News
The Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency is urging everyone in the state to take precautions during the extreme cold temperatures predicted through the weekend.
RIEMA offers these tips to stay safe in the extreme cold:
- Dress warmly, and in layers, even if you are just making a short trip to the mailbox. If you fall or a door locks behind you, you could be exposed for a longer period of time than you planned.
- Dress warmly even when you are inside—especially if you do not move a lot.
- The temperature inside your home should be set according to your own activity level, health, and medications. What is an acceptable, fuel-saving temperature for an active family may not be safe for an older person who has difficulty moving or takes certain medications.
- The elderly are especially susceptible to extremely cold temperatures. Check on elderly friends, family, or neighbors frequently.
- Remove clothing if it gets damp or wet. Wet clothing can make you more prone to hypothermia.
- Know the signs of frostbite and hypothermia. Symptoms of frostbite can include loss of feeling and loss of color and usually happens on the nose, ears, cheeks, chin, fingers or toes. Symptoms of hypothermia in adults can include shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, drowsiness, or slurred speech. In infants, symptoms of hypothermia can include bright red, cold skin and low energy.
- Do not drink alcohol. Alcohol lowers the body’s ability to retain heat.
- Make sure your car is ready for the extreme weather conditions. Get your vehicle winterized and make sure tires are in good condition. Check your car emergency kit and replace any items that are broken or are unsafe to use.
- Call 511 or visit www.tmc.dot.ri.gov for current road conditions.
The following warming centers are open for the times and locations listed:
- Charlestown: Town Hall; 4540 S. County Trail; Wed. – Fri., 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Charlestown: Police Community Room; 4901 Old Post Rd.; Wed. – Sat., 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Charlestown: Senior Center; 100 Park Lane; Wed./Thurs., 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.; Fri., 8:30 a.m. – noon
- Coventry: Senior Center; 50 Wood St.; Wed. – Fri., 9 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
- Cranston: Senior Center; 1070 Cranston St.; Wed. – Fri., 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- East Greenwich: Swift Community Center; 121 Pierce St.; Wed. – Fri., 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Exeter: Public Library; 773 Ten Rod Rd.; Wed./Thurs., 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Fri./Sat., 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- North Kingstown: Senior Center; 44 Beach St; Wed. – Fri., 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- North Kingstown: Town Library; Boone Street; Wed./Thurs., 9 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.; Fri./Sat., 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Pawtucket: Mathieu Senior Center; 420 Main St.; Wed. – Fri., 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Portsmouth: Senior Center; 110 Bristol Ferry Rd.; Wed. – Fri., 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- South Kingstown: The Center; 25 St. Domenic Rd.; Wed. – Fri., 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
- South Kingstown: Neighborhood Guild; 325 Columbia St.; Wed. – Fri, 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Sat., 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- South Kingstown: Peace Dale Library; 1057 Kingstown Rd.; Wed./Thurs., 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Fri./Sat., 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- South Kingstown: Kingston Free Library; 2605 Kingstown Rd.; Wed., 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Thurs., Noon – 8 p.m.; Fri./Sat., 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- South Kingstown: Hale Library, 2601 Comm. Perry Highway; Wed. – Fri., 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
- Warwick: Pilgrim Senior Center; 27 Pilgrim Parkway; Wed. – Fri., 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
RIEMA says daily updates to the list of warming centers will be made at 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. through Friday, January 25. Updates will also be posted on RIEMA’s website at www.riema.ri.gov.
